


You Can't Be Perfect at Everything

by CastielFollowMe



Series: Single Dad Shiro Verse [56]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Musical Instruments, Shiro is not perfect, Talentless Shiro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-05
Updated: 2017-10-05
Packaged: 2019-01-09 11:26:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12275463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CastielFollowMe/pseuds/CastielFollowMe
Summary: Shiro seems like the perfect guy who can do anything. Sports, being kind, academics, friendly. He's got it all. So how bad can playing the piano be? Right?





	You Can't Be Perfect at Everything

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: "I believe you're taking prompts still? Idk i just wanted to know if shiro or keith can play any instruments? If they do, did they take lessons or did someone like a friend or family member teach then?"

                Kuro had been extremely talented when it came to playing instruments. By the age of eight, Kuro was advanced in the piano, the flute, the drums, guitar and violin. By the time he joined the military, Kuro could play over a dozen instruments in his sleep. Everyone had called him a prodigy and he could only shrug and explain that he just loved playing instruments. It was calming.

                Shiro…

                …was not talented when it came to playing instruments.

                When Kuro had shown interest in playing the piano and violin, their parents had automatically signed Shiro up for lessons too. However, it was quickly _(very quickly)_ realized that Shiro had absolutely no talent when it came to the piano or the violin. Instead, his piano lessons often sounded like rocks being thrown on keys and slamming down onto the pedals. His violin sounded like a crying cat more than music. Shiro’s parents took him out of lessons when the teacher kindly suggested that this might not be the best activity for Shiro.

                Being six, Shiro wasn’t too upset and instead moved to almost every other instrument he could play. It was a painful time for the Shiroganes, having the horror of hearing Shiro plays a different instrument every day. Every day they _prayed_ their son would find the _one_ instrument he could actually play decently. Every day Kuro would smile tightly and encourage his brother to play while their parents pretended to be busy in the garage or the garden.

                For a year, Thace completed every project he could on the house and in the garage, and suddenly the garden was looking _beautiful._

                Thankfully (oh how the Shiroganes had wept), Shiro had become extremely interested in sports by his ninth birthday and instead of ear splitting trumpet lessons, they were replaced with football practices and baseball and soccer.

                For years the household was quieter and filled with happiness once again.

                Unfortunately, Shiro still kept a mild interest in music and continued to try and play the piano as he grew up. He often tried to surprise his parents and Kuro with “surprise” performances on their birthdays or anniversaries. All the while, the Shiroganes and Shiro’s friends would smile politely and try not to wince every time Shiro butchered a note.

                Luckily, though, Shiro lost all interest in music after joining the army. He’d been too busy and once he’d returned home after a year of torture, Shiro had been too depressed to pick up any instrument. Especially, during the time he and his parents believed Kuro to have been killed. No one had the heart to play any instrument so Shiro gave it up, and once he had Keith in his life, he was far too busy to start back up again.

                So life went on. Kuro returned home to his family and picked up on piano and several other instruments, bringing music back into their lives. Shiro continued to not play as he was content to let his brother play and simply far too busy with Keith.

                All was well for the Shiroganes.

                Until Keith needed to learn to play the piano for a school musical.

                He’d come home one day after school when Thace, his wife and Kuro were there along with Ulaz, Kolivan and Antok.

                “Daddy, can you teach me to play the piano?” Keith suddenly asked, interrupting all conversation. Everyone blinked and stared in shock at the little boy, who ignored them all in favor of climbing into his dad’s lap. Shiro kissed his son in greeting and smiled.

                “You want me to teach you to play the piano?” Shiro chuckled. Immediately, _every_ adult in the room paled. Their eyes widened and they shared terrified looks with one another.

                Keith nodded happily. “Yep! We got a musical performance we gotta do, and Ms. K asked me to play the piano for a minute. Everyone got assigned a different instrument.” Keith explained, fiddling with Shiro’s prosthetic. Kuro dramatically wiped the sweat off his face.

                “Oh that’s wonderful! A performance?!” Shiro exclaimed excitedly. He was oblivious to the tension in the room, and missed the terror in everyone else’s eyes. When he grinned over at Antok, Ulaz and Kolivan, the three ex-special ops men plastered on fake smiles and nodded.

                “That sounds exciting Keith. I’m sure you all will be wonderful.” Ulaz simply said.

                “Yes! You all will come watch me perform, right? After daddy teaches me!” Keith bounced excitedly and the three men knew they were goners. There was no way _any_ of them could say no to a face like Keith’s. They were just going to have to suffer bleeding eardrums and painful melodies until the performance was over.

                “We wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Antok admitted while Kolivan nodded grimly.

                “Hey, uncle Kuro has a piano in his house,” Shiro stared happily. For a brief second, everyone else in the room held their breath in anticipation. There was a tiny spark of hope that Shiro would suggest his brother teaching Keith instead. That sliver of hope was destroyed just as quickly as it came. “He can probably let us come over and use it for you to practice.”

                When Shiro looked over at Kuro, Kuro had to remind himself to be strong. _Be strong Kuro. Don’t falter at puppy dog eyes._

                “You know Charlene is my baby.” Kuro snorted playfully, tucking his hands under his arms. “I can’t just let you use her without _me_ on it. Maybe I’ll let Keith use it under my rules and _my_ teachings.” Kuro prayed that his brother would get the hint without getting offended. _Be strong. Be strong. Don’t look into their eyes._

                “Ah, come on bro,” Shiro whined, still smiling. He pulled Keith onto his lap so both of them were facing Kuro and Kuro immediately cursed under his breath. _Be strong. Strong. Strong._ “I wanna help my baby. Can’t you just let us? Please?” Now Shiro would jutting out his lower lip and pouting, with big eyes on Kuro.

                “ _Pwease.”_

                Kuro cursed again and bit his tongue when Keith suddenly joined in and purposefully mispronounced the word. _Be strong Kuro._ Kuro could feel himself beginning to sweat under the gaze of Shiro _and_ Keith’s puppy dog eyes. He’d always been weak for Shiro’s in the past, and Keith had perfected this look to a T.

                _Be strong. Be strong. Oh fuck._

                “Fine.” Kuro deflated miserably. The only two who were cheering were Shiro and Keith. Everyone else was looking as if they were marching to their graves tonight. It was going to be a _long_ three weeks.

x.V.x

                Thace wasn’t surprised when Kuro called them more often than not in the following three weeks.

                “Dad, I’m dying. I’m actually dying here.” Kuro whined one morning after breakfast. “You gotta rescue me. I don’t know how much more I can take.” Kuro whispered as quietly as he could. Thace chuckled at his son’s antics but a part of his heart squeezed at the pain Kuro must be enduring.

                “Oh come now, Takashi might be bad, but he can’t be worse than he was?” Thace joked. However, Kuro didn’t answer and the silence on the other side of the line said more than words ever could. Thace’s eyes widened and he had to actually sit down for a minute. His wife watched him warily and he shook his head.

                “He got worse?” Thace was scared to ask.

                “Dad. _He’s so much worse.”_ Kuro whispered tiredly. Suddenly, Thace could hear the sounds of a piano and his heart sunk. Oh yes, Shiro was worse. He was much, much worse than he ever was and Thace couldn’t believe his ears.

                “I thought I could handle this but I can’t. I just can’t.” Kuro hissed as quietly as he could into the receiver and Thace winced upon hearing a terrible off-key melody in the background. “Dad. I’m going to go crazy. You gotta take over. I can’t do this. Please.”

                Thace almost choked on his spit. “Um, ah, what’s that son? I can’t hear you. You seem to be breaking up.”

                “Dad, don’t you dare!”

                “It must be bad connection! I can’t hear you!”

                “Thace Shirogane, I swear I will –”

                _Click!_ Thace quickly shut his phone before powering it off. His heart was racing as he shared a look with his wife. Slowly, shaking his head, Thace stood up and pressed a kiss to her forehead before sighing.

                “Poor Keith. He’s doomed.”

x.V.x

                “Keith is almost as bad as Takashi.” Ulaz informed Thace and his wife. The two gasped before clasping hands.

                “Kuro even tried to take over but it appears that Keith has inherited his inability to play instruments from Takashi.” Ulaz shook his head sadly. “There looks to be nothing we can do for him at this point.”

                “Oh Keith.” Mama Shirogane whispered softly, before hearing a butchered version of _Twinkle Twinkle Little Stars_ , sounding more like _Twankle Twankle Fucked up Stars._

x.V.x

                “Hey, everyone. What’s all this about?”

                “It’s an intervention Takashi.”

                “For what? Wow, you even have a banner and streamers. Is that a cake?”

                “Sugar makes this easier for all of us.”

                “Kuro.”

                “Takashi, you’re terrible at the piano. You need to stop teaching Keith. It’s affecting his playing.”

                “Kuro! What the hell?! I used to play for you all for your birthdays and no one ever said I sucked! Everyone loved my playing. Right?”

                “…”

                “…”

                “…”

                “Mom? Dad?”

                “Honey, you are extremely talented and wonderful at _almost_ everything. There’s nothing to be upset about.”

                “Almost is the key word. Son, I’m gonna say it like ripping a Band-Aid off. You _suck_ at playing music. Any kind. Piano. Violin. Guitar. You’re horrible.”

                “Thace!”

                “Honey, you know it’s the truth and you all are skirting around the issue. He needs to know. I’m sorry Takashi. We never wanted to hurt your feelings.”

                “Antok, Ulaz, Kolivan, you all have heard me play! Do I suck?”

                “Yes.”

                “Yes, I’m sorry Shiro.”

                “Oh yeah.”

                “…wow. Wow, I can’t even believe you guys. You basically _lied_ to me, all those years?”

                “We didn’t want to hurt your feelings, sweetheart.”

                “So you decide to tell me, one week before Keith’s big performance?!”

                “If it makes you feel any better, Keith is probably going to suck as much as you.”

                “Kuro. You have three seconds to run before I strangle you.”

                “…”

x.V.x

                Keith’s performance was a performance. That’s for sure.

                Shiro had forced _everyone_ else along with him who had lied to him. They’d sat through the entire performance of second graders (no one was great) and the entirety of the sixty seconds that Keith played the piano. Shiro, surprisingly, found himself stunned after properly hearing Keith on stage without him. It hurt his heart and made him sick when  his first thought was to wince after Keith’s performance and hesitate to clap.

                Thankfully, Keith didn’t notice the hesitation as he was getting off his seat and when he bowed at the audience, Shiro was on his feet and clapping the loudest. The entire family joined Shiro, whistling and clapping as the rest of the audience cheered too.

                “Hm, he wasn’t as bad as Takashi at this age.” Thace leaned down to whisper in his wife’s ear.

                “Maybe there’s hope for him.” Kuro suggested and Shiro winced. Quietly he turned to face everyone in the family, smiling that creepy smile of him that threatened harm.

                “If anyone says anything about how bad Keith was, I promise you’ll be walking _everywhere_ after this.” He said, before turning around and running to greet Keith. The others shuddered but quickly greeted Keith with smiles and praises for his performance, leaving Keith a blushing mess.

                Shiro swallowed thickly, praising his son; understand why his parents had lied.

                He hoped Keith wasn’t interested in playing instruments ever again.


End file.
